The New Middle Class of Iran and the Demand for Reforming Domestic and Foreign Political Relations

Abstract

The new middle class of Iran, which expanded rapidly after the Islamic Revolution, has been one of the most dynamic forces and a leading actor in demanding reform of the political system’s approach to domestic and foreign relations. This article examines the reformist movement of this class from the mid-1970s to 2021, with an emphasis on electoral participation. The main question of the article is: in what manner and through what instruments has the new middle class acted to change and reform the system’s policies? The hypothesis of the article is that the new middle class, given its hegemony within civil society, has sought to achieve this objective through electoral participation. The finding of the article is that this class has been successful in mobilizing forces to advance electoral objectives, but has failed to attain its broader goals.